George Preddy Jr: The American Ace Shot Down By Friendly Fire During the Battle of the Bulge
George “Ratsy” Preddy Jr. was a US Army Air Forces officer and Air Ace credited with downing 32 1/2 enemy aircraft. This made him not…
Vincent Speranza: The American Soldier Who Went On An Epic Beer Run to Help a Comrade
Soldiers who’ve been injured in battle can often be comforted with items that remind them of home. During the Siege of Bastogne in World War…
WWII-Era Grenade Found in New Zealand French Fry Factory
Imagine the scene: you’re working the night shift at a French fry factory, sorting through thousands of muddy potatoes, when you come across a grenade…
Two Members of the Real-Life von Trapp Family Served in WWII
The von Trapp family’s incredible story is one of the most well-known events of the Second World War. Though not entirely accurate, it was forever…
Turning Personal Experiences Into Song: Six Musicians Who Served in the US Military
The very best songwriters in the world call on their life experiences to help inform their music – and serving in the US military is…
Clark Gable Flew Five Combat Missions With the Eighth Air Force During World War II
A number of famous actors have served in the US military. While the majority of them went off to war prior to finding fame, there…
The Controversial History of Napalm and Its Use in War
The use of fire in warfare is horrific and terrifying. It’s also nothing new. The ancient Greeks used petroleum-based fire weapons, referred to as “sticky…
D-Day Veteran Horace ‘Harry’ Billinge Dies Aged 96
Horace “Harry” Billinge, a World War II veteran who was among the Allied soldiers to participate in D-Day, has passed away at the age of…
Dimitar Peshev: The Politician Who Saved 48,000 Bulgarian Jews from Deportation
During the Second World War, Bulgaria was committed to staying neutral. That does not mean, however, that its Jewish citizens were safe. Jews had lived…
This Polish Submarine is Famous for the WWII Incident Named After It
When World War II first broke out, a number of countries close to the action wanted no part of it. Estonia was one of them.…
Kwajalein Atoll: A Pivotal US Army Victory During the Second World War
The Kwajalein Atoll is a ring-shaped coral formation in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The largest and southernmost island in the atoll is Kwajalein,…
The US Military Dropped Pianos Onto the Battlefield with Parachutes During WWII
During any conflict, it’s important to keep troop morale up. This was especially true during the Second World War, when a large portion of enlisted…